Line finder for typewriters



0. A. HO'KANSON LINE FINDER FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Feb. 28, 1920 PatentedDec. 25, I923.

intern ram or tion.

OTTO A. HOKANSON, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WOODSTOCK TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LINE FINDER- FOR 'IYPIEWRITERS.

Application filed February 28, 1920. Serial No. 361,922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Or'ro A. HOKANSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Woodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line Finders forTypewriters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriter construction, and especially to amounting for that portion of a typewriter usually known as the linefinder and has for its object the provision of mechanism of the classmentioned which shall be of improved construction and operation. I

This invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement ofparts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the followingspecification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. 1

In the drawing- Fig. l is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of aportion of a typewriter showing one embodiment of the present invention;and o r Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1.

In Fig. l of the drawing the numeral 10 designates a typewriter platensupported on a typewriter frame 11 and 12 is a line finder arranged tobear against the platen 10 and having a construction of the generalcharacter of that shown and described in my prior application, SerialNo. 225,949, filed April 1, 1918. As explained in the prior applicationreferred to, the line finder is provided with a horizontally arrangedstraight edge 13 which indicates the level of the printing line relativeto the platen 10 and the face of the finder adjacent the edge 13 isprovided with marks or graduations to indicate the lateral position ofthe letters formed by the type. An opening is provided through thecentral portion of the line finder adjacent the edge 13 to permit thetype to strike the surface of the platen 10 and to indicate theprintingposition. The line finder 13 is provided with a pair of rearwardly bentears 14 which are pivotally mounted at 15 on bell cranks 16. The bellcranks 16, as shown in Fig. 2, are

rigidly secured to a rock shaft 17 having flat portions 18 forpreventing rotation of the bell cranks relative to the shaft. The shaft17 is supported for oscillation by a bracket 19 having rearwardlyprojecting arms .20

and secured by screws 21 to a bar 22 which forms a part of thetypewriter frame. The bracket arms 20 are shown in section in Fig. 2 andthe one at the left of the figure carries a pivot stud 23 which entersan opening 24 in the end of the shaft 17 and is provided with a roundedbearing 25 to permit oscillation of the shaft 17 about the stud 23without danger of binding between the shaft and stud in case the shaftis not in absolute alinement with the stud. The stud 23 is formedintegral with a screw 26 which passes through the opening in the bracketarm 20 and which is firmly held in place inthe bracket arm by a nut 27threaded on the screw 26. The opposite end of the shaft 17 is providedwith an integral screw 28 on which is threaded a bushing 29 having abearing shoulder 30 journaled in the bracket arm 20. A nut 31 is carriedby a threaded portion 32 of the bushing 29 which projects beyond theouter face of the bearing bracket 20; The nut 31 engages the shoulder 30to prevent binding against the bracket arm 20 in order to permitof easyoscillation of the bushing 29 in the bracket arm. A look nut 33 isthreaded onto the end of the. screw 28 to hold the bushing 29 in fixedposition on the screw 28. The nut 33 is so proportioned that itproject-s beyond the end of the screw 28 and is provided with ascrew-driver slot 34.

It will be apparent that this construction permits oscillation of theshaft 17 in the bracket arms 20 in order'to raise and lower the linefinder 12 relative to the typewriter frame. The vertical movement of theline finder 12 is desirable in order to retain the line finder in properposition relative to the platen 10 when the platen is shifted verticallyto change from'one case letters to another. In order that theverticalshifting of the line finder shall occur synchronously with themovement of the platen the bell crank 16 is provided with a link 35having one end pivotally connectedat 36 and having the other endconnected with the mechanism for shifting the platen. Any suitableconnection between the link 35 and the platen shifting mechanism may beemployed, one connection 'forsuch purpose being shown in my priorapplication referred to above. The length of the link 35 may be adjustedby screws 37 and slots 38 which will permit of adjustment of the heightof the line finder 12 to'accurately position the line finder relative tothe platen 10. A spring tongue 39 is connected with the line finder 12and bears against a portion ofthe platen shiftingmechanismforresiliently pressing the line finder against the platen. 3

1 When a, machine is first assembled and sometimes after the machine hasbeen in opline finder 12 laterally to accurately adjust the centralopening therein relative to the printing positionand also to locate thegradscrew '28. It will be apparent that rotation of the bushing 29relative to the screw 28 will shift the screw 28 and the shaft 17connected therewith in the direction of the axis of the screw and thusthe line finder 12 may be very accurately adjusted in a lateraldirection. Whenthe proper position of the 1 line finder is secured it isonly necessary to rrtighten' the lock nut 33 which will prevent furtherrotation of the bushing 29 on the screw 28 and theline'finder will thenbe permanently secured in its proper position.

Such adjustment is very easily accomplished at any time and may be veryaccurately made because of the fact that it is produced by a 40"screw-threaded arrangement.

I claim y 1. In a typewriter, a platen, a line finder for indicating thepositionof the printing line relative to said platen, means foradjusting said line finder relative to said platen in a directiontransverse to said printing line, and means for adjustin'g said linefinder relative to said platen in a direction parallel to said printingline.

2. In a'type-writer, a platen, a line finder for said platen, means forshifting said line .finder to maintain said line finder in :fixedposition relative to said platenlfor different positions of said platen,and means for adjustingsaid shifting means to accurately position saidline finder relative to said platen.

3. In a typewriter, a platen, a line finder for indicating the positionof the printing line relative to said platen, means for shifting saidline finder to maintain said line finder and platen in proper positionrelative eration it is desirable to be able to shift the justing saidline finder in a direction transverse to said shifting movement.

4c. In a typewriter, a line finder, a pivotal support for said linefinder comprising a rock shaft, and a bearing for one end of said shaftarranged to permit angular movement of the axis of said shaft withoutcausing said bearing to bind. V

5.v A line finder for typewriters having a support, a pivot at one endof said support on which said support is mounted for free pivotal andhorizontal movement, meansat the other end of said support for adjustingsaid line finder in the direction of. the axis of said pivotal support,and means for locking said line finder in various adjusted'positions,said line finder having a line indicator the indicating edge of whichextends in the direction of the printing line.

6. A line finder for typewriters comprising a pivotal support having abearing at one endthereof arranged to permitoscillation of said linefinder about the axis of said pivotal support in various angularpositions of said axis, and means for shifting said line finder in thedirection of the axis of said pivotal support. r

7 A line finder for typewriters comprising a pivotal support having abearing at one end thereof arranged to permit oscilla-' tion of saidline finder about the axis of'said pivot for various angular positionsofsaid axis and to permit said jline finder to move in the directionofsaid axis, a bearing for the opposite end of said pivotal support, andmeans connected with said last-mentioned bearing for shifting saidpivotal support in the'direction of said axis.

8. A line finder for typewriters comprising a supporting shaft having anelongated opening in one end thereof extending in the direction of theaxis of said shaft, a rounded bearing for said shaft positioned in saidopening, a threaded extension on the oppositeend ofsaid shaft, a bushingadjustably mounted on said threaded extension, and; a pivotal supportfor said bushing.

9. A line finder for typewriters comprising a supporting shaft, abearing for one end of said shaft arranged to permitsaid shaft to movein the direction of the axis thereof relative to said-bearing, athreaded member carried by the opposite end of said shaft, abushingthreaded on said member and movable relative thereto to shift said shaftin the direction of theaxis thereof,

to one another for various positions of said platen, means for adjustingsaid line finder relative to said platen in the direction. of

said shifting movement, and means for ad:

and a pivotal support for said bushing.

10. A line finder for typewriters comprising a supporting shaft having alongitudinally extending opening in one end thereof, a pivot stud havinga rounded end extending into said opening to permit oscillation of saidshaft about its axis in various angular positions of said axis and. topermit movement of said shaft in the direction of the emma Q axisthereof, a threaded member carried by movement of said shaft in thedirection of the opposite end of said shaft, a bushing said axis whensaid bushing is rotated about threaded on said member, a lock nut forsaid threaded member. 10 holding said bushing in fixed position on Intestimony whereof I have signed my 5 said threaded member, and a pivotalsupport name to this specification on this 24th day for said bushingarranged to permit oscillaof February, A. D. 1920'. tion of said shaftabout its axis and to cause OTTO A. HOKANSON.

